More and more people are moving toward outdoors sporting activities, particularly this winter and it is perfect! Be it a cross-country skiing ride, a snowshoe excursion, or a hike, it is important to put the right kind of fuel in your body to maximize your energy output and enjoy your day outside.
What to eat before your activity?
The last meal before an outside sports activity should consist of equal parts of fruits and vegetables, proteins and cereal-based food. If you are going on a high-intensity activity, you should think about augmenting the parts of fruits and cereals to raise your carbohydrates levels and avoid the types of foods that are harder to digest like fibers, spicy and fat food (fried food, charcuterie, cheese, etc.).
Bring some food with you
If you are going out for more than two hours, it is advised to bring some snacks. If it is an intense activity, your snack will have to be richer in carbohydrates (we recommend 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates each for intense activities). Here are some examples: fruit bars or dry fruits, energy bars, muffins, cookies or a fruit puree sachet. If you are not the sugary type, you could also eat crackers or baked potatoes. Think to keep your snacks close to you in an inside pocket so they do not freeze.
If the activity is taking a big part of the day, bringing a lunch would be appropriate. Think about something that is easy to eat with gloves. It should contain carbohydrates to replenish your energy and proteins to fill you up. The best example would be a wrap or a sandwich.
Do not forget about hydration
We are often less aware of the thirst when it is cold but our needs in water are not lesser. Think about taking a couple of sips every 20 to 30 minutes to avoid dehydration. Water is not the only option though; it could be nice to drink a hot beverage like tea or a chicken broth in a thermos. We then avoid the ice in our drinks. For high-intensity activities, your drinks can help you getting carbohydrates and electrolytes. You can pick a lightly sugared drink and think about adding a bit of salt to it.
Now, you know everything to do before going outside without having to stop because you are hungry or out of energy. Enjoy!